The Foundation Beyond Belief blog reports some really cool news: The Triangle Freethought Society is featured on the cover of North Carolina’s Light the Night campaign handbook, representing all of us who walked during an event last year: The caption reads “FBB 2012 Top non corporate team in the country.” [Click headline for more…] Read more
Just a few days ago, we heard about how 64-year-old Margaret Doughty was being denied citizenship in America because she was an atheist. There’s finally good news to report: [Click headline for more…] Read more
This is Christian leader Bryan Fischer, talking about the Atheist Hotline Project more than two weeks ago: When asked by [the Christian Post] if he felt the atheist group would reach their fundraising goal, Fischer replied that “this effort is doomed to fail.” “I can’t imagine a more fruitless and depressing endeavor than trying to raise money to help people create distance between themselves and God,” said Fischer. “God isn’t going anywhere, and the Scriptures make clear in places like Psalm 139 that’s impossible to flee the presence of God even if you want to. He will always stand ready to draw near to anyone who wants to draw near to him, no matter how far from him they’ve tried to get.” [Click headline for more…] Read more
Here’s the story as the conservative media tells it: Linda Brunton, a liberal professor at Columbia State Community College in Tennessee, forced students to wear rainbow ribbons and tell people who asked them about it that they were supporters of gay rights. Students then had to observe public reaction and write a paper about how they were allegedly “discriminated against” while wearing the ribbons. When several students objected to being forced to support conduct that violates their faith convictions, Brunton brushed aside their concerns, described their views as “ignorant and uneducated,” and explained that she hoped this assignment would cause them to change their beliefs. Regardless of their convictions, students had to express the views she mandated in order to receive class credit. The Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom even sent the school a letter (PDF) demanding an apology and a promise that this assignment will never be given again. Of course, I’m having a hard time believing that a professor would “force” students to do this against their will. But let’s take this one issue at a time. [Click headline for more…] Read more
We don’t know the exact number of people who have become atheists since Sam Harris’ The End of Faith began the “New Atheism” boom in 2004, but it’s undoubtedly huge. Is there anything we can say about those “newer atheists,” those who became atheists only in the past decade? Brother Richard thinks so, and he offers a few clarifications to critics who go after them, though some of them could also apply to people like me who became atheists before 2004: [Click headline for more…] Read more
This is a guest post by Ellery Schempp. I was in a contemplative mood as I wrote this. Somewhat overwhelmed by good wishes from good people. I thank you for remembering this anniversary. I am happy to have lived long enough to remember not only the Abington decision (1963), but also pioneers like Vashti McCollum (1948), Steve Engel (1962), Madalyn Murray (joined with Abington, 1963), and later cases such as Lemon and Weismann, Epperson, Edwards, Griswold, many others. All these cases came from real people, and often the children suffered. [Click headline for more…] Read more
When British Archbishop John Sentamu (pictured below) isn’t busy slamming gay rights or denouncing atheists, he likes to lecture people about fairness. Easy to do… I mean, who doesn’t like fairness, right? Sentamu, the second-highest authority in the Church of England, confidently trained his sights on tax avoiders the other day: Tax avoidance is “sinful” and tantamount to robbery, one of the UK’s most senior clerics has said as G8 leaders prepare to discuss the issue. Dr. John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, told the BBC that individuals and companies needed to be held accountable for their actions when it came to tax. Tax avoidance was hindering efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition in developing countries, he suggested. You know what they say about how, when you point a finger, three of your digits are pointing back at you?… [Click headline for more…] Read more
A few weeks ago, I wrote about The Hotline Project, a proposed 24/7 hotline for people who were struggling with religious doubt: In order to get the project off the ground, the group putting it together, Recovering From Religion, needed to raise about $30,000 before the end of this month. Well, with all the recent media attention given to the project (some, courtesy of Christian ignorance), there’s good news to report: With more than a week to spare, The Hotline Project has raised the money! And they’re ready to hear from volunteers. [Click headline for more…] Read more
Given that its President Alan Chambers is already going on Oprah Winfrey’s network Thursday night to offer an on-camera apology to all those members of the LGBTQ community he may have hurt, this may not be a major surprise, but it’s still big news: Exodus International is shutting down: [Click headline for more…] Read more
